Today’s Mill can see the wood for the poppies
The Mill is no fan of international breaks, never has been, never will. Out goes this country’s love of all things domestic, most notably transfer tittle-tattle, and in comes a whole load of patriotic piffle and posturing, three lions this, three lions that. Where, for Anelka’s sake, are the rumours?
This week things seem to have taken a turn for the worst. Alongside the usual worries and woe regarding the national team there is now a row raging over the wearing of poppies. Yes, poppies. It’s enough to make the heart sink to a new depth.
“POPPYCOCK” is how one newspaper is reporting the story this morning, while others speak of Fifa “banning” England from wearing the Remembrance Day symbols on their shirts during Saturday’s friendly with Spain. Just to make clear, Fifa is not “banning” anything. Rather, it is upholding a long-standing regulation which prevents international kits carrying “political, religious or commercial messages”. So can we all just calm down for a second and focus on more important matters, like the news that Didier Drogba is wanted by Milan.
Yes, thankfully there is space in today’s papers for some transfer juice and none more refreshing than the news that the Ivory Coast veteran could be leaving London for Italy in the new year. Milan, the Serie A champions, are short of a goalscorer following Antonio Cassano’s recent illness and feel Drogba could be the answer to their short-term prayers.
Should the 33-year-old depart from Stamford Bridge, then he may well miss out on the opportunity to play with Gary Cahill, who is wanted by Chelsea. Having seen a move to Spurs fall through during the summer, the defender is now desperate to leave Bolton in January and is supposedly enthused by the prospect of a switch to the deposed Premier League champions, who are willing to spend £8m on the 25-year-old.
What’s this, Jermain Defoe is wanted by Queens Park Rangers? Not a new tale but one worth repeating given such a transfer would see the striker join his 700th different club. Apparently the 29th-year-old has become frustrated with his lack of opportunities at Tottenham and is now willing to join Neil Warnock’s band of misfits in January. And to fill the gap left by the former Charlton, West Ham, Bournemouth, Portsmouth … striker, Spurs are apparently ready to sign Juventus’s Brazilian-born Italy forward Amauri.
Meanwhile, Liverpool have made an enquiry about the Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita, according to reports. The 31-year-old is out of contract in the summer and could be tempted by a move to Anfield. Also on their way out of Camp Nou could be the less heralded Martin Montoya and Marc Barta, who are on Spurs’s radar. The pair are both just 20-year-old.
Across north London, Arsenal want to sign the Borussia Dortmund midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz. The 23-year-old has been watched by Arsène Wenger’s scouts and they seemingly like what they saw.
In the Championship, meanwhile, Nottingham Forest are keen to “raid” Portsmouth for Liam Lawrence. Forest’s new manager, Steve Cotterill, knows Lawrence from his time at Fratton Park and is happy to spend £1.5m on the Republic of Ireland winger.
And just to prove there is no news like old news, Manchester United are back in the hunt for Wesley Sneijder and have been told by Internazionale that they can have the Dutchman for £40m. A tedious affair in what is proving to be a truly tedious week.
ChelseaBolton WanderersTottenham HotspurQPRLiverpoolBarcelonaArsenalNottingham ForestPortsmouthManchester UnitedSachin Nakraniguardian.co.uk
